Battle of Karuse
Encyclopedia
Battle of Karuse or Battle on the Ice was fought on February 16, 1270 between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
and the Livonian Order
on the frozen Baltic Sea
. In 1270 Lithuanians and Semigallians
led by Traidenis
, Grand Duke of Lithuania from ca. 1269 to 1282, raided Livonia
and reached as far as Saaremaa
island by marching across the frozen sea. On their way back they were confronted by the Livonian Order and its Danish allies from Tallinn
on the Muhu
Strait. The Order was well-prepared for the battle: for a year it was recruiting soldiers for an expedition into Semigalia
. Lithuanians arranged their sleighs as a barricade and successfully stopped the main cavalry force. As horses got stuck in the improvised barricade, 52 knights, including the Grand Master Otto von Lutterberg
, and some 600 low-ranking soldiers were killed. It was the fifth-largest defeat of the Livonian or Teutonic Orders in the 13th century. Vice-Master Andreas von Westfalen, who acted as a Grand Master before proper elections could be held, decided to restore lost morale of the knights by winning a quick victory. In the middle of 1270 he learned about another Lithuanian raid into Livonia and hurried his soldiers to seek out the enemy. While they were resting, Lithuanians attacked the camp and killed Andreas and twenty more knights. It is sometimes known as the Battle of Padaugava, and was the tenth-largest defeat of the Teutonic Knights in its own right. Traidenis dealt another big defeat in 1279 during the Battle of Aizkraukle
.
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
and the Livonian Order
Livonian Order
The Livonian Order was an autonomous Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order and a member of the Livonian Confederation from 1435–1561. After being defeated by Samogitians in the 1236 Battle of Schaulen , the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword were incorporated into the Teutonic Knights...
on the frozen Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. In 1270 Lithuanians and Semigallians
Semigallians
Semigallians were the Baltic tribe that lived in the southcentral part of contemporary Latvia and northern Lithuania...
led by Traidenis
Traidenis
Traidenis was the Grand Duke Lithuania from 1270 till 1282. He is the second most prominent, after Mindaugas, Grand Duke of Lithuania in the 13th century. His reign ended a seven-year unrest period after Mindaugas was assassinated in 1263 and firmly established the Grand Duchy as a pagan state...
, Grand Duke of Lithuania from ca. 1269 to 1282, raided Livonia
Livonia
Livonia is a historic region along the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. It was once the land of the Finnic Livonians inhabiting the principal ancient Livonian County Metsepole with its center at Turaida...
and reached as far as Saaremaa
Saaremaa
Saaremaa is the largest island in Estonia, measuring 2,673 km². The main island of Saare County, it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa island, and belongs to the West Estonian Archipelago...
island by marching across the frozen sea. On their way back they were confronted by the Livonian Order and its Danish allies from Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
on the Muhu
Muhu
Muhu , is an island in the Baltic Sea. With an area of 198 km² it is the third largest island belonging to Estonia, after Saaremaa and Hiiumaa....
Strait. The Order was well-prepared for the battle: for a year it was recruiting soldiers for an expedition into Semigalia
Semigalia
Zemgale, also known under Latinized names Semigalia or Semigallia is a historical region of Latvia, sometimes also including a part of Lithuania. It lies in the middle of the southern part of the Republic of Latvia, and borders historical regions of Selonia, Samogitia, Courland and Livland. The...
. Lithuanians arranged their sleighs as a barricade and successfully stopped the main cavalry force. As horses got stuck in the improvised barricade, 52 knights, including the Grand Master Otto von Lutterberg
Otto von Lutterberg
Otto von Lutterberg was the Ordensmeister of the Livonian Order of the Teutonic Knights from 1266 to 1270, and was in command of the Livonian Order in 1268 when the Knights were heavily defeated by a Russian army at the Battle of Rakvere...
, and some 600 low-ranking soldiers were killed. It was the fifth-largest defeat of the Livonian or Teutonic Orders in the 13th century. Vice-Master Andreas von Westfalen, who acted as a Grand Master before proper elections could be held, decided to restore lost morale of the knights by winning a quick victory. In the middle of 1270 he learned about another Lithuanian raid into Livonia and hurried his soldiers to seek out the enemy. While they were resting, Lithuanians attacked the camp and killed Andreas and twenty more knights. It is sometimes known as the Battle of Padaugava, and was the tenth-largest defeat of the Teutonic Knights in its own right. Traidenis dealt another big defeat in 1279 during the Battle of Aizkraukle
Battle of Aizkraukle
The Battle of Aizkraukle or Ascheraden was a battle fought on March 5, 1279 between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, led by Traidenis, and the Livonian Order near Aizkraukle in present-day Latvia. The Order suffered a great defeat: 71 knights, the Grand Master Ernst von Rassburg, and the leader of...
.